On the road we need healthy, fast and delicious. Our pressure cooker is one of our most used and important tools in our cozy travel trailer kitchen. At home in Bend we also make this dish and it cooks in 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your altitude. We still work, so coming home and being able to cook meatloaf and potatoes in 12 minutes is such a help, add a veggie or salad and you have a quick complete meal..
Meatloaf in a pressure cooker? I was as surprised as you probably are, but it turns out to be a quick-and-easy success. “Amazing,” said my husband Jeff, “It doesn’t look or taste steamed.” But steamed it is, in the cooker’s vegetable basket. You can also use a standard collapsible steaming basket instead. It’s essential to cook the meatloaf in a container that has a perforated bottom.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large zucchini, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound ground lean chicken or turkey
- 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Combine Separately
- 1 cup ketchup, divided
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (use 1/2 Cup in the meatloaf mixture and the remaining amount to top the meatloaf) It’s yummy
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown, add the carrots, zucchini, peppers, celery, garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes or so. Set aside to cool.
Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup/ balsamic mixture and the cooled vegetables, mix until just combined.
NOTE: At this point you can bake the meatloaf the traditional way in the oven, directions below, or follow me to the quick RV pressure cooker way, either choice this is a delicious and super healthy meatloaf
Traditional Method:.
Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the remaining ketsup /balsamic mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Pressure Cooker Method:
Coat the bottom and sides of the steaming basket lightly with the cooking spray. Transfer the meatloaf to the steaming basket and press into a disc of uniform thickness. (If your steaming basket has a central lifting pole, either remove it or shape the loaf around it.) Spread the remaining catsup/balsamic mixture over the top of the meatloaf. Pour 2 cups water into your 6-quart pressure cooker, set the prepared steamer basket on top of the water. Place pressure cooker on your stove’s burner , bring the pot to high pressure (15 psi). Once this pressure has been reached, reduce the heat as much as possible while maintaining this pressure. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Set the pot off the heat and let the pressure fall to normal naturally, about 12 minutes. Unlock and open the pot. Carefully lift the steamer basket out and voila, you have a healthy, moist and delicious dinner.
Meatloaf ready to place on top of potatoes
I also place another steamer basket under the meatloaf basket and layer peeled potatoes, the potatoes cook perfectly all cooked at the same time.
Potatoes prepared to mash
Steamer Basket
So please give it a try and if you RV like we do, saving time in the kitchen is essential, as we would rather hike and bike, than spend many hours cooking. The pressure cooker allows us to be able to cook, fast and healthy and that’s what’s so important to JUST AROUND THE BEND ♥
JUST AROUND THE BEND 